Abstract
The accumulation of data on the genomic bases of adaptation has triggered renewed interest in theoretical models of adaptation. Among these models, Fisher's geometric model (FGM) has received a lot of attention over the past two decades. FGM is based on a continuous multidimensional phenotypic landscape, but it is mostly used for the emerging properties of individual mutation effects. Despite its apparent simplicity and limited number of parameters, FGM integrates a full model of mutation and epistatic interactions that allows the study of both beneficial and deleterious mutations and, subsequently, the fate of evolving populations. In this review, I present the different properties of FGM and the qualitative and quantitative support they have received from experimental evolution data. I then discuss how to estimate the different parameters of the model and outline some future directions to connect FGM and the molecular determinants of adaptation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 179-201 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics |
| Volume | 45 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Nov 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Fisher's geometric model
- adaptive landscape
- distribution of fitness effects
- drift load
- epistasis
- phenotypic complexity
- pleiotropy
- robustness